Wow! What a cool episode! I didn't care all that much for the first episode that had the agents as secondary characters (Hungry), but Redrum shines.
Opening shots on spider webs are always good. You can't go wrong there. Redrum is the class of season eight. Using the subtitles, I noticed that Martin Wells murder case number is 8ABX03, the same number as the production number for the episode, though it was the sixth one aired this season.
I like how the web in the cell links to the web on Cesar Ocampo's hand. They transition straight from the one to the other to help you make the connection. It's so different to see Scully filling the role of Mulder and seeing her so open to the idea of time moving backwards. She doesn't jump wholeheartedly into the role. She does so slowly and cautiously.
Joe Morton will always be to me the doctor who sacrificed himself for the future in Terminator 2, just like Robert Patrick will always be the T-1000 to me from the same movie. Joe Morton rocks in this episode. He is strong enough to carry the bulk of the episode, which he does. When Martin asks to see the file of his case, his lawyer hands him a two-inch thick file, and the murder only happened two days ago! I can't believe it is that thick so soon. Even though it's highly doubtful that Doggett would wake Scully up at 4:00 in the morning to go to Martin's apartment, she comes with him just so her watch can be used to bookend the episode with another shot of her watch, this time starting to move forward again.
"Premonition", that was just recently released in theaters is similar to this, except the days of the week happen all jumbled up instead of moving straight backwards. I have a soft spot for "space/time continuum" shows. The story is engaging from beginning to end. It had me totally engrossed. The ending is bittersweet, but well worth the time invested in viewing Redrum.
